OREANDA-NEWS. December 17, 2009. Cargo turnover at Klaipeda port has been growing every month, thus decreasing the gap between cargo handling results of the year 2008 and 2009. At the moment, just a month before the end of the year, the gap has reduced from 18,0 % (after the first half of the year) to 9,6 %, reported the press-centre of Klaipeda port.

During the first eleven month of 2009 Klaipeda Port handled 25,04 million tons of  marine cargo, i.e. by -9,6 % or 2,66 million tons less than in corresponding  period of 2008, however it is by +2,9 % more than forecasted for this year in Klaipeda port Strategic plan for the years 2009-2011. Cargo handling volume at Klaipeda port has been growing since May what resulted in positive changes of annual cargo turnover results in the port, thus every month reducing the gap between handling results of the year 2008 and 2009:

after the 1st half of the year  -18,0 %,
after three quarters -13,1 %,
for the period from January to November the gap has reduced to  -9,6 %.

The largest growth rates in January-November this year were recorded in dry and bulk cargo sector. The largest growth in the above mentioned period was recorded in handling of bulk peat (+220,2 thousand tons, 331,9 thousand tons handled, change +3,0 times) and agricultural products (+142,2 thousand tons, 1,59 million tons handled, change +9,8 %). Growth was also observed in handling of molasses (+19,3 thousand tons, 42,1 thousand tons handled, change +1,8 times) in comparison to January-November of 2008.
 
In November, 2009 the highest cargo handling results during the year were achieved at Klaipeda port– 2,53 million tons of cargo handled, i.e. by +5,4 % or +129,4 thousand tons more, comparing to November last year.

In November 2009 the turnover of dry and bulk cargo accounting for the major part of the port cargo  increased by +12,5 %, handling of general cargo – by +6,2 %, and liquid cargo handling decreased by 1,7 %, comparing to November 2008.

In terms of liquid cargo handling, growth was recorded only in turnover of molasses (10,2 thousand tons handled in November 2009, and 9,0 thousand tons handled in November 2008, change +1,2 thousand tons). Comparing to November of 2008, the highest drop in liquid cargo turnover was recorded in handling figures of fertilizers (33,1 thousand tons handled in November 2009, and 49,1 thousand tons handled in November 2008, change -16,0 thousand tons). In  November 2009, turnover of oil products amounted to 825,7 thousand tons, i.e. by -0,3 % or -2,4 thousand tons less, comparing to November last year.

In terms of nomenclatures of bulk cargo handled in November of 2009 and 2008, the biggest positive changes were recorded in handling of fertilizers (+239,6 thousand tons, 554,8 thousand tons handled, change +1,8 %), peat (+10,5 thousand tons, 28,0 thousand tons handled, change +1,6 times) and scrap metal (+9,4 thousand tons, 32,7 thousand tons handled, change +1,4 times). In November 2009 the biggest drop was recorded in handling of agricultural products (-89,7 thousand tons, 155,1 thousand tons handled, change -36,6 %), ferroalloys (-24,7 thousand tons, 6,9 thousand tons handled, change -78,2 %) and mineral deposits and construction materials (-15,8 thousand tons, 107,4 thousand tons handled, change -12,8 %) comparing to the same period of 2008.

In November 2009, in terms of general cargo nomenclature, growth was recorded in handling of Ro-Ro cargo (in terms of tonnage) (+36,8 thousand tons, 238,5 thousand tons handled, change +12,6 %), refrigerated cargos (+12,1 thousand tons, 40,3 thousand tons handled, change +42,9 %), packed fertilizers (+9,7 thousand tons, 28,6 thousand tons handled, change +51,5 %) and iron- and steel-ware (+7,3 thousand tons, 38,3 thousand tons handled, change +23,5 %), comparing to November 2008. The biggest drop in handling volumes was recorded in containers (in terms of tonnage) (-23,0 thousand tons, 244,3 thousand tons handled, change -8,6 %), comparing to November 2008.

Growth in Ro-Ro cargo handling allows for forecasting a bright future, as changes in turnover of this cargo type is sensitive economic indicator. In November 2009 handling of Ro-Ro units increased by +6,6 % (16 436 units handled in November 2009, change +1 023 units). Already in the year 2008, when cargo turnover in the port had been growing by +9,2 % and the record results throughout the port’s history were achieved by the end of that year, annual turnover of Ro-Ro cargo foreboded the forthcoming economic problems, as Ro-Ro cargo annual handling results dropped by -8,2 % in 2008, comparing to the results in their handling in the year 2007. Thus, growing Ro-Ro turnover at Klaipeda port since October, 2009 may signify forthcoming revival of Lithuanian economy.

In November this year, the turnover of container units (TEU) in the port decreased by 38,4 % in comparison to November 2008 (19 852 TEU handled in November 2009, change -12 379 TEU).
In November 2009 Butinge Terminal handled 800,5 thousand tons of crude oil, i.e. cargo handling figures of the last month decreased by 11,4 % in comparison with the corresponding period of 2008, when 903,3 thousand tons of crude oil were handled.
 
14,1 thousand passengers arrived/departed onboard ferry liners to/from Klaipeda port in November 2009, i. e. by 5,7 % more than in November last year.